September 14 – Happy Birthday, Alexander von Humboldt

Posted on September 14, 2014

Nobody ever seems to
mention that Humboldt
was a darned good artist.
But since this is a self-
portrait, I'd say he was
really good!

Today is the birthday of “the greatest scientific traveller who ever lived” – according to a guy who was a pretty amazing scientific traveler himself, Charles Darwin! 

Alexander von Humboldt, who was born on this date in 1769 in Berlin (which was at that time in Prussia), became a geographer, naturalist, and explorer. He traveled in Europe, Latin America, and Russia. (For more on his Russian explorations, check out this earlier post.) 

He ended up becoming one of the most famous men in Europe and was heaped with praise and honors for his discoveries and ideas.

Another drawing by Humboldt that
demonstrates his superior art skills.
I guess it was important for scientists
to be good at drawing what they saw...
back when there was no such thing
as photography!

Some of the species Humboldt described—plants and animals that were previously unknown to European scientists—are named after Humboldt, as are many geographical features such as harbors, currents, glaciers, mountains, and rivers. The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation was created after the great scientist's death in order to encourage young-and-struggling scientists. People as varied as Latin American “Liberator” Simon Bolivar and author Edgar Allan Poe joined Charles Darwin in singing Humboldt's praises.

Two Big Ideas

Drawing by Humboldt

Humboldt is considered the “father of physical geography,” and he favored a holistic view of nature and interrelated sciences, including biology, meteorology, and geology. This viewpoint is the precursor of environmental science, which looks at both the nonliving and living parts of the environment and explains whole systems and habitats.

Humboldt was also one of the first to suggest that the lands bordering the Atlantic Ocean were once joined, pointing out the way that Africa and South America seem to fit together.

Also on this date:

San Jacinto Day in Nicaragua

Anniversary of the completion of the first North American lighthouse

Anniversary of the completion of Handel's Messiah

Plan ahead:

Check out my Pinterest boards for:

• September holidays
• September birthdays
• Historical anniversaries in September
  

And here are my Pinterest boards for:

• October holidays
• October birthdays
• Historical anniversaries in October

April 12, 2012 - Russia + Exploration Day

Including Yuri's Night!

On this day in 1829, Russia's czar Nicholas I asked German explorer and scientist Alexander von Humboldt to study the previously uncharted regions of Siberia. Among other things, Humboldt took temperature measurements and noted that locations at the same latitude and altitude varied in temperature according to their distance to the ocean.

Do you think that locations in Siberia closest to the ocean had warmer or colder temperatures than locations that were far inland? (For the answer, scroll down.)

Przhevalsky's horse

On this date in 1839, Nikolai Przhevalsky was born in Russia. He grew up to become an explorer and geographer who traveled and studied regions in Siberia and in Central Asia, such as Turkestan. He described many species of animals and plants that were previously unknown to Europeans, including the only species of wild horse still alive, which is called Przhevalsky's horse.

Mustangs

Do you know why free-roaming horses in the U.S. (called mustangs) are not properly called “wild horses”? (For the answer, scroll down.)

And on this date in 1961, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space! Space exploration is exciting to me—partly because there is so much more to explore up there! Perhaps the world feels that way, too, because today is celebrated as Cosmonaut's Day, International Day of Human Space Flight, and Yuri's Night. Check out this and this other post about Yuri Gagarin and celebrations of humanity's first-ever spaceflight.

ANSWERS:

Siberia inland

Oceans have a “moderating effect” on temperatures. That means that land near oceans tends to have more “medium” weather—cooler weather when it is hot inland and warmer weather when it is cold inland. In Siberia, famous for freezing cold temperatures, the coastal lands tend to be warmer.

Siberia's coast

Mustangs are sometimes called “wild horses” because they are unowned and uncontrolled, like other wild animals. However, their ancestors were domesticated horses first brought to North America by Spaniards. Therefore, the proper term for them is “feral” rather than “wild.”